Steam & Excursion > Two Western Pacific Steam Photos, circa 1950

1.  Western Pacific 94, a 4-6-0 built in 1909 and last used in April 1953, with a passenger train on the Keddie Wye on May 14, 1950.  Could be a fan trip, people on the ground about half way back. unknown photographer

2.  Western Pacific 179, a 4-8-2 built in 1924 purchased 1936 from Florida East Coast, seen here in Rock Creek trestle near Cresta, CA on May 5, 1951.  unknown photographer

Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/19 15:41 by MartyBernard.

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WP Steam in the Canyon--awesome!

The second image was taken at the Rock Creek trestle near Cresta, CA.  There is a more recent photo from there at https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3777585,3777673#msg-3777673 .

Second photo is an R&LHS excursion train at Rock Creek trestle, Milepost 249.

Are those safety barricades in first car for people riding there?

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MartyBernard Wrote:

> 1.  Western Pacific 94, a 4-6-0 built in 1909
> and last used in April 1953, with a passenger
> train on the Keddie Wye on May 14, 1950.

The photo shows the "Railroad Tour of 1950" excursion sponsored by the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society, a three day trip that started on May 12, 1950 with an overnight run behind diesels from Oakland to  Portola, CA.  On the morning of May 13th, riders transferred from sleepers to gondolas and rode behind WP 94 to Hawley and down the branch to Loyalton.  Clover Valley 2-6-6-2T #4 took over from there for a tour of its railroad, delivering the train back to the 94 at Hawley in the afternoon.  The train returned to Portola and riders spent the night in their sleepers.  The morning of May 14th, the 94 pulled both sleepers and gondolas west to Quincy Jct., where it handed the gons and excursionists over to Quincy RR 2-6-2T #2 for a round trip to Quincy.  Back at Quincy Jct., the gons were left behind and 94 pulled the passenger consist down the Feather River Canyon to Oroville, making a photo stop enroute at Keddie Wye as seen in the photo.  At Oroville, 4-8-2 #171 took over and pulled the train back to Oakland.

The flyer is below, and more photos of the trip are in this old thread:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3999743,4000321#4000321

About WP 94 being "last used in April 1953," Dunscomb & Stindt's Western Pacific Steam Locomotives, Passenger Trains and Cars does indeed show that in the table on page 306, but it's incorrect.  The table on page 99 of the very same book shows 94's special service career on WP rails beginning in 1949, with its selection for participation in the 40th anniversary of the completion of WP's main line, up through its *real* last use by WP in August 1960 for the 50th anniversay of the inauguration of WP passenger service to Oakland. WP did "retire" the 94 in August 1951, but they had no intention of sending it to the scrapyard.  The April 1953 date corresponds to another of 94's many excursions, but definitely not its last one.

> 2.  Western Pacific 179, a 4-8-2 built in 1924
> purchased 1936 from Florida East Coast, seen here
> in Rock Creek trestle near Cresta, CA on May 5,
> 1951. 

This was the "Weekend in the Sierra Pines" excursion sponsored by Cal-Nevada and the Pacific Coast Chapter R&LHS.  It was a two-day affair, running from Oakland to Quincy Jct. on May 5, 1951 behind 4-8-2 #179.  Riders again transferred to gondolas for another roundtrip to Quincy behind QRR #2.  On May 6, the 179 delivered the train to Keddie and WP 2-6-6-2 #210 took the train up the Highline to Clear Creek Junction, where riders again transfered to gons and WP wooden combine 402 for a ride behind the Almanor Railroad's GE centercab 106.  WP 210 then took the train back to Keddie, and 179 piloted it to Oakland.  That flyer is also below, and more photos are in these old threads (note that the flyer for the 1951 trip uses a Quincy RR photo taken during the Railroad Tour of 1950 trip):

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,4685282
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2039047,2039049#2039049
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3115909,3115909#3115909
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3695531,3695531#3695531
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2322274,2322274#2322274
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2039679,2039679#2039679
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3424086

By the way, this trip really was 179's last use, and also last time WP used any of their ex-FEC 4-8-2's.  All were scrapped.

Both flyers courtesy the Western Railway Museum Archives.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/19 07:05 by Evan_Werkema.

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bakersfielddave Wrote:

> Are those safety barricades in first car for
> people riding there?

Yes.  It was common for steam-powered excursion consists in the 1950's to include an "open door baggage car" with wooden gates across the doorways for riders to stand in, photograph, tape record, shoot movies, etc.  Not so common on diesel-powered excursions for some reason. ;^)